Role Model spotlight: Jennifer Pinarski

Active for Life is very proud of the team of Role Models that we’ve assembled, each one sharing a love of physical activity and promoting the importance of physical literacy in their communities. Every month we’ll choose one of the amazing members of the team and profile them on our site. To kick off this feature we would like to introduce you to Jennifer Pinarski, a mom, runner, cyclist, writer, voice of reason, and all-around awesome person. Jennifer has been doing some incredible work for Active for Life ever since joining the Role Model team and we couldn’t be prouder to have her on-board.

Jennifer is a great Role Model because she lives and breathes Active or Life’s values and is dedicated to giving her children the right start with physical literacy. When she took over the AfL Instagram account in August we got a glimpse into her family’s active, outdoor lifestyle, and we love how she inspires parents to play with their kids, no matter what the weather.

Q&A with Jennifer Pinarski

AfL: What’s your favourite way to spend time with your family?

JP: We are all happiest exploring overgrown trails or rugged natural areas. Finding new plants, climbing trees, and getting dirty is our favourite way to bond.

AfL: What’s your favourite season to play outdoors with your kids and what do you like to do when you’re out there?

JP: Hands down it’s winter! Getting kids (and adults!) motivated to go outdoors in pleasant weather is easy, but too many families hibernate when sub-zero temperatures hit. Other than the standard snowball fights and sledding, we like taking our favourite summer activities like soccer and tree climbing, and adapt it for the winter. This past winter I tried fat biking and snowshoe racing, both sports my kids are eager to try this year.

AfL: What’s your own personal favourite physical activity?

JP: Road cycling!

AfL: What is your biggest fear?

JP: As a family of avid and budding cyclists, my biggest fear is distracted drivers. It really just takes a second for a driver to lose their focus and cause injury. I’m adamant about teaching my kids the rules of safe cycling, but the truth is, we all need to be aware of what’s going on around us.

AfL: What has been your proudest moment?

JP: I’ve completed a lot of tough races that I could say are big deals to me, but seeing my kids learn to master swimming and cycling are both moments I’ll never forget. I’m so proud of their determination and grit.

AfL: Care to share a little known fact about yourself?

JP: As a kid, I was never very athletic and I also had Osgood-Schlatter disease (still have a huge bony lump on my left leg!). I wasn’t a fast runner, I flunked several swimming lessons, and never made the school sports teams. I didn’t take up running, cycling, or swimming until I was in my late 20s. I think sometimes parents don’t believe that they can be athletic after having children, when really it’s the most important time.

AfL: Please tell us in a few words why you’re excited to be an AfL Role Model.

JP: AfL is an organization I’ve long admired for their commitment to getting families active and healthy because it’s a passion I share as well.

Join us in welcoming Jennifer to the Active for Life family and please say hello in the comments below.

Sara Smeaton is the associate managing editor of Active for Life. Her articles have been featured online, and in print, in the Globe and Mail Health Advisor section, on SavvyMom, and several other online magazines. She comes from an advertising background where she produced hundreds of web projects for some of North America's biggest brands. Sara lives in Toronto with her husband and two creative children who have never met a tree they didn't want to climb. Follow Sara on Twitter, @SaraSmeaton.

Active For Life

Active for Life is the place where parents go to learn about activities for kids. Physical education leads to physical literacy, which is critical for child development. Physical literacy also gives active kids the best chance to someday compete in high-performance sport. Kids activities are organized here by age and gender, so parents can find fun and engaging ways of making sure their children get the recommended daily amount of physical activity. Activities for toddlers are aimed at the development of fundamental movement skills, while activities for children build on the fundamentals to establish more complex sport skills that can be used to play any number of sports and activities. Exercises for kids enhance their physical development. In the early stages of child growth, early childhood development is dependent on appropriate exercises for children. Because kids play is good for kids health.